The-Dream – Black [@thekingdream]

You had to have known the Donald Sterling-inspired “response” tracks were coming. But you couldn’t possibly have anticipated that one of the first would come from none other than Terius Nash.

The-Dream, who has left R&B heads waiting with anxious ears for his first release post-Def Jam, has premiered new music today in the form of “Black.” And rather than being another love – or, rather, love-hate – driven type song, “Black” has The-Dream going socially conscious on listeners. Debuting the track on a lyric video of sorts, the visuals project The-Dream’s lyrics over images of Nelson Mandela, President Obama and the First Lady, and Muhammad Ali alongside “men with a message” we should “never be impressed with” (like Sterling and even Russian president Vladimir Putin).

The majority of “Black” is a history lesson right down to its references to MLK and Malcolm X and its freedom-march inspired drums. And there’s no shame in the song’s hook of “I feel real Black right now,” so much as there’s a lot of self-conscious awareness. I don’t know if I agree entirely with the whole application of “classism is the new racism,” but “Black” will get you thinking for sure.

About The Author

The D&aD Team's resident R&B connoisseur, Batman fanatic, and author in progress, forever in search of the elusive Green Light like a Black Jay Gatsby. Bradford has also contributed to the former Chan-Lo.com, BroJackson.com, EBONY.com, ThisisRNB.com, and HoustonStyle Magazine.